After mating, most male insects will stay with the female. Scientists believed this was to stop other males from mating with her. Now Rolando Rodriguez-Munoz from the University of Exeter has been studying video of field crickets and discovered that the male keeps close to protect the female rather than to chase away other suitors. The male will even put himself at risk to protect her from danger, letting her forage close to the nest while he feeds further a field, and when danger threatens he lets her enter the safety of the nest first. This increases by four times, the risk of the male being eaten but while the female gains protection the male also benefits by increasing his opportunities to mate with the female and ensuring that his young survive.
Posted by Astrojenny
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